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The members of this list who knew him will be sad to hear that Ian Watson has died after a long illness.
As Director of South West Arts, Ian booked Jake into venues around the West Country in the seventies and early eighties. He and Jake, both Yorkshiremen, shared a passion for France and all things French, and it was inevitable that they would become friends. When Jake dropped out of sight, they lost contact for a while, but by the time this group had launched its efforts to get Jake’s songs re-released, Ian was working with him on what became the Sister Josephine project – a musical play based on Jake’s songs and characters.
After Jake’s death, Ian carried the project forward alone. It was a rough ride: the original writer became ill and had to stand down at the last minute; funding was hard to find; it took all his salesmanship skills to persuade venues to take the show. He contributed countless hours of unpaid work to the project, and made up the funding shortfall out of his own pocket – and the show’s 2005 tour of Yorkshire venues was a huge success. That wasn’t enough for Ian; he started work immediately on a revamped show and a national tour, and when Ian McMillan withdrew from the production he invited the distinguished writer Alan Plater to take over the reins. Alan agreed, and Sister Josephine entered a new era, retitled ‘The Thackray Arms’. Ian will never see the ultimate result of his tireless work for the project, but the show will go on, dedicated to the memories of both Jake and Ian.
Ian was a gruff, irascible old Yorkshireman who loved cricket and didn’t suffer fools gladly. He was also a kind, loyal, faithful friend and a proud family man. He leaves a wife, Linda, three daughters and a clutch of grandchildren, and he will be very much missed. Details of his funeral, circulated by his daughter Emma, follow:
Ian’s funeral is at Scarborough Crematorium, Woodlands Drive (off Scalby Road) on Friday May 11 at 2.40pm. It will be a celebration of his life, so no black please – as bright as you can make it – and there will be a wake at a pub afterwards (details to follow). Linda sends her thanks for the kind words – Jane (daughter number one) will be collecting memories on Friday to put into a book so if you have any you want to share, write them up and bring them or write them when you are here.
No flowers please – the crematorium will have a collection box for St Catherine’s Hospice where he spent his last two weeks, or you can send a cheque c/o Linda.’
If anyone would like to send a cheque to Linda, please contact Sarah Willans via the contact page at http://www.thethackrayarms.co.uk for the postal address.
My first encounter with Ian was in the early days of the Topica mailing list in 2002. I’d posted some piece of inconsequential trivia and was met with a blast of a response from Ian as follows:-
Sorry, I thought this was a site for Jake addicts rather than a folkies’wankathon.
It was only later – and with some trepidation – that I met the man at Jake’s Wake in York and got to know him a little (though not very well) and came to enjoy his company on line and at the occasional Jakefest.
One thing not in Sarah’s note which I posted above for her: in the sixties Ian was one of those who first gave Jake opportunity to perform on stage while he was still a teacher in Leeds and for that every member of this board should pause for a moment and reflect on how much we owe him.
Ian
This is very sad news; like Ian B, I first met Ian W in York, and then a few more times at various events. He was a lovely man, and I’m not ashamed to say I have shed tears on hearing this news. I didn’t realise he was ill, so it was somewhat unexpected.
He was very modest about his links with Jake, and yes, we do have much to be grateful for.
I hope the JT project can be represented at Ian’s funeral, and expect that he will be remembered at Holmfirth.
Sad Pam
Post edited by: Pam, at: 2007/05/07 12:26
In the words of Harry Enfield : Bloody nice bloke.
Ian was also one of the contributors of extremely fine quality vinyl for the JP Project CDs, and for that too, I thank him.
Unlike other contributors I never had the privilege of meeting Ian face to face.However,I did speak to him on the ‘phone a couple of times and found him to be a man of great wit and intelligence.In death there is always a danger of sanctifying the departed:I have the feeling Ian wouldn’t appreciate such sanctimony.Suffice to say that,clearly,the majority of us owe him a great deal of gratitude for bringing Jake back to some degree of prominence and,I’m sure,we’ll not forget him nor his contribution to "The Project".May he rest in peace.
Pam wrote:
I hope the JT project can be represented at Ian’s funeral
To put your mind at rest, Pam. I attended Ian’s funeral on Friday afternoon as both a friend and a JT Project member.
Ian was instrumental in The Lovely Fiona and I moving to Scarborough. If he hadn’t faithfully sent the property section of the local paper every week, we might have given up on the idea.
"Sister Josephine" and "Last Will and Testament" were played at the service with a hymn sandwiched in between. Ian’s daughter, Emma, told me that he would not have been pleased about the inclusion of the hymn.
In case anyone is wondering, I wore a multi-coloured striped shirt and no tie.
Gordon wrote:
"Sister Josephine" and "Last Will and Testament" were played at the service with a hymn sandwiched in between. Ian’s daughter, Emma, told me that he would not have been pleased about the inclusion of the hymn.[/quote]
Well, you can’t have a funeral without hymn sandwiches, can you? 🙂aliasmacalias wrote:
every member of this board should pause for a moment and reflect on how much we owe him.
Yes, I have, many times since you first posted the news of his death. I’m still shocked and so, so saddened. It’s only slightly on a personal level – we spoke and corresponded a couple of times; it’s more that I don’t know of anyone since Doc Col’s equally grievous death who could talk so knowledgeably and intimately about Jake, and I don’t know anyone who’s done more than Ian to keep his memory alive. I just wonder, now he’s gone, who will keep the remaining balls in the air.
What a loss.
Post edited by: KeithD, at: 2007/05/14 23:56
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